These creatures are found primarily in the mountainous regions of Oksa, but sightings have been reported in many remote areas of the Inner Continent. They are commonly called rock-men for the simple reason that they look like large humanoid shapes hewn out of rock. Standing still, they can sometimes pass as menhirs or basoliths since their features are crude and indistinct. Scholars have given them the name ur-edraldi as they are thought to be a more primitive offshoot or forerunner of the edraldi species. The edraldi themselves, when they comment on the matter at all, refute any connection. Both races, however, are indisputably linked to the element of earth.

ur-Edraldi, in their natural state, are generally peaceful creatures with animal-level intelligence, content to graze on rock (about 1 lb of stony material is enough to sustain an ur-edraldi for a week or more). Nothing is known about how they reproduce; it is assumed that they are some kind of spirit creature and spontaneously appear when their presence is needed although "rockman eggs" sometimes appear for sale; these may or may not be simply smooth stones and underhand salesmanship.

Certain minerals can affect the behaviour and intelligence of an ur-edraldi that eats them. Metals cause an ur-edraldi to become more intelligent whilst gems and precious stones can grant them magical powers. The exact abilities and powers of an awoken ur-edraldi depend upon the exact mix of minerals that it has eaten; some minerals seem to affect the personality of an ur-edraldi, making it more aggressive or unpredictable. The same mineral may affect two different ur-edraldi in different ways, making it difficult to predict how any individual will react. For this reason, they are shunned by the people of Oksa.

Combat: Normal ur-edraldi fight with their stony fists against the closest threat, and will escape through the earth if they begin to lose. Awakened ur-edraldi may show a greater grasp of tactics and will sometimes have magic to use as well.

Consume Minerals (Ex): An ur-edraldi is able to consume and metabolise mineral matter. It only requires 1 lb. of ordinary rock or earth per week in order to stave off the effects of starvation. If an ur-edraldi consumes 10 lb. or more of a particular type of metal (it doesn't matter which, as long as it is all the same metal), it gains 1 point of Intelligence. If an ur-edraldi eats 1 lb. or more of gems or precious stones (again, the exact type doesn't matter but they must be all of the same kind) then it gains magical abilities, as given below.

Earth Glide (Ex): An ur-edraldi can glide through stone, dirt and any other sort of earth apart from metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create a ripple or any other sign of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a burrowing ur-edraldi flings the ur-edraldi back 30 feet, stunning the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds on a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw.

Skills: An ur-edraldi has a +10 racial bonus to hide checks when in rocky areas, provided that it does not move. An ur-edraldi is able to hold itself perfectly still indefinitely.

ur-Edraldi Development
The exact nature of an advanced ur-edraldi is left up to the gamesmaster. As a suggestion, certain metals may affect which skills an awoken ur-edraldi can learn. Gold, for example, is the metal of the sun, associated with rulership, so an ur-edraldi that eats gold may learn, for example, Diplomacy, Intimidate and Sense Motive. This is not a hard and fast rule, however, and gamesmasters are at liberty to grant ur-edraldi whatever skills they deem necessary.

The magic learned by an ur-edraldi depends on the value of the gems eaten. Largely this can be chosen according to the gamesmaster's wishes, but if a numerical method is needed, use the following: compare gem value with those in Table:Gems. Assume that the average price on each line of the table responds to the cost of 1 carat of that material (so 1 carat of azurite is worth 10 gp, 1 carat of emerald is worth 1000 gp and so on). Take this value and multiply it by 24 to get the cost of 1 pound of that material. Thus one pound of azurite would be worth 240 gp, 1 pound of emeralds would be worth 24000 gp. Compare with the table below to see which powers the ur-edraldi can "buy". The gamesmaster may, of course, ignore this and choose whichever powers seem appropriate for NPC ur-edraldi, but this may be useful for ur-edraldi used as player characters.

240 gp - soften earth and stone

1200 gp - spike stones or stone shape

2400 gp - wall of stone

12000 gp - move earth or flesh to stone

24000 gp - earthquake

120000 gp - crushing fist or earth elemental swarm

The version of crushing fist cast by an ur-edraldi takes the form of a giant fist of rock that emerges from the earth. It must remain in contact with an area of rock or soil at all times.

Advanced ur-edraldi may learn character classes, although an ur-edraldi needs to have developed magical ability in order to advance in a spellcasting class.